Tax return time! Oh, what frivolous spending shall I indulge in? Perhaps a mini-fridge/beverage center for all our booze, a new couch, or a new 4K TV. Perhaps I'll even pay my medical bills or credit card debt.

The possibilities are endless!

I'm taking Monday off. The twins have it off too, so we're going to hang out and be lazy. Probably play video games. There was a time when having the boys over meant they would play video games and I would clean up the house, do laundry, and organize my life. Thank Cheesus that I have the PS4 Pro now.

It's time to mix thing up! Introducing: April No-Fools! Beginning April 1st and throughout the entire month, there will be no jokes, jests, gibes, puns, sarcasm, tricks, or teasing. It's the mental equivalent of a detox, except effective. Comedian John Oliver said something like "People who aren't comedians don't understand that we're basically sociopaths who will say anything to get a laugh." My nephew, Gabriel, asked me how I was always so funny. After giving it some thought, I said "You have to find connections, and then say whatever comes into your head. And expect to be un-funny a lot of the time. Eventually, if you fail enough, and pay attention to why, you'll get funnier.

I also talked about how during a conversation, each topic is like a pebble thrown into a pond. The conversation will create ripples outwards from each pebble, and the place where those ripples meet is a possible joke. 

Find the connections to find the funny. And the beauty of it is that everything's connected, when you step back far enough. 

Happy Discount-Valentine's-Day-Candy Day Eve! Tomorrow there will be chocolate hearts at rock-bottom prices galore. And soon it will be the Day-After-Easter candy, which is even better because of those horrible and delicious Cadbury Creme Eggs (The extra 'e' stands for 'Extra Earwig Larvae').

Fly away like a winter bird, return in the springtime of the soul

My hands are cut from tearing apart cardboard boxes. Those boxes be fierce. Mayhaps there was a secret staple hidden under a strip of masking tape. Whatever blooded me, I emerged victorious and the box is on its way to be recycled into new enemies.

Kelly and I went over to the Schuler's place on Friday to watch the opening ceremony of the Olympic games. There was much debate over costumes, props, and how effects were achieved. Rowdy good times were had by all.

Rorschach, my cat, was euthanized this weekend, at 18 years of age. Mai Linh and I had adopted a brother and sister kitty when we got a house together 17 years ago. Mai took them both when I moved back home with my parents and has had them ever since. Still, I'd always said I had a cat.

He was a good cat. Very good at catty things. Mostly pretty nice to people. Good with kids, too.

Listening to the soundtrack for the video game "Cuphead". It's jazz/big band,/ragtime, and all great.

Perfect for dancing around and talking about our feelings.

And shouting "What a scoop!" while taking pictures with old-timey flashbulb cameras. Stick a press card in my hatband and away I go.

I've been feeling a little detached lately. It could be in my imagination. Or perhaps it's my imagination I'm detached from. Maybe I'm feeling my age. How old am I? 35? or 36? Oh, okay. 35 years, 8 months, and 27 days. Not 36 yet. Almost, but not quite.

Fascinating.

Back to walking daily. Lots of motivation to play Monster Hunter World, with so much to do. Avoid injury and keep walking, lift some weights to build up bone mass to offset future loss as I continue to age. Good plan, good plan.

Oh, and get my oil changed. On my car. That's not some grisly euphemism for blood-doping or whatever where people inject themselves with youthful blood.

What a scoop! FLASH

Let's Write! is a new platform for writers to broadcast their writing process in real-time to an audience of millions. When your favorite writer is writing, you'll get a notification and then you can log on and watch the creative process as it happens! With 3 camera angles: Over-the-shoulder, Face-Front, or 3/4 Overhead Full Desk View.

Join the chat and critique away!

Might actually be a hit. People can watch it after-the-fact and then fast-forward through the long moments of staring blankly at the screen.

Remy made a morning playlist. We usually listen to the radio on the way to the bus stop and often have to suffer through the seemingly synchronized commercial messages. I think that all the radio stations are owned by one massive corporation now anyway. No more switching to another station that actually plays music. Not on their watch.

Thus, after a couple weeks of urging, Remy made the playlist. It's good. The first song is "We Don't Believe What's On TV" by Twenty One Pilots. It's an excellent get-yer-ass-moving song.

I have a follow-up appointment tomorrow with my surgeon. My throat is still a little sore, but I only notice it if I think about it. I bit the inside of my cheek the other day and I smirked at the pain. I'm sure my pain tolerance won't last; the memory of the suffering is still fresh enough to be useful.